Who can resist a little nibble of cheesy goodness? These comforting snacks are the absolute perfect bite for just about anytime of the day or night. The ingredients are simple and not too many; yet the result is rich and delicious. It is an oldie but goodie and one which I grew up eating as a child. My mother made them well and we had them for birthdays and special occasions. The familiar thin piped yellow treats were well known and always a hit at parties. We know them in Guyana as cheese straws.
I decided to make a batch this week and to try a new cookie pump I just bought. After having mixed up the batch of dough, I opened the box to look for the star piping tip one usually uses for making the traditional cheese straws. To my horror, it was not included in the box. Not to be defeated, I rummaged through the various options of die cuts, and decided on a Daisy form as well as a flat ridged model. “How crazy am I to make these traditional cheese straws in these different shapes ” I muttered. ” well, you have no choice, you’ve already gotten this far” I murmured.
To my surprise, the finished product was amazingly different from my childhood memories of what a cheese straw should look like, but heck… I kind of really like these shapes. So, I will not call these cheese straws, but I rather cheesy nibbles and you can pipe them up in any form your heart desires. If you do not have a cookie pump, you can also use a small scoop and make uniformed balls, roll them smoothly and then flatten them for a round thin biscuit.
Here’s the recipe so that you can make some people happy this weekend.
Cheese nibbles ( Cheese straws)
Ingredients
1 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 lb all purpose flour (3 1/2 cups)
3/4 lb margarine or butter, room temperature (3 sticks)
1 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tsp pepper sauce ( or to your taste)
Method
In a mixing bowl, put butter and grated cheese and mix well until light and creamy.
Fold in flour and add mustard and pepper sauce if using.
Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.
Fill the cookie pump with the mixture and pipe into chosen form on a baking tray.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until lightly golden.
With a metal off set spatula, lift each form before they cool completely in the pan.
The cheesy bites will crisp as they cool.
This makes about 4 large baking sheets of cheese bites, depending on the size.
Store in a tin or Tupperware. They stay fresh for about 5 days, but longer if you refrigerate.